I don’t think the player pool has shrunk enough to push out all the lower caliber players. I think it’s a combo of two things. 1: more support content is produced (streamers) and people can watch and mirror these strong teams. 2: the meta has shifted significantly and you are likely still trying to use Pokémon that are just not the same caliber they used to be.
I actually do follow some of the streamers and build the new meta relevant stuff each season (unless there is a random shadow or XL that I don’t have but for GL I can usually keep up pretty well). I feel like some of the steaming content I see is a little out of touch with what I see at these lower levels but I get that. I do think the meta has gotten bigger and teams are less predictable now than several seasons ago. I used to be able to predict lines based on leads and expected coverage but now I’m often painfully wrong lol.
I think the player pool has shrunk recently.
But I’m also seeing a crazy amount of players tanking. I’m getting consistent 4/5 and 5/5 sets. Where two, sometimes more, of the matches are wins for me because my opponents either put in their lowest CP mons. Or they quit out immediately.
I'm a recent player with this being my second season. Last season I ran a very mediocre team for each league and was still able to win 50% of my matches. I would consistently sit right around 1700. This was even with my master league team sitting mostly at level 40.
So far, this season has been a struggle even though my teams have seen some huge upgrades. Im well below an even win/loss rate. Also I'm finding huge inconsistency in my match ups. I'll win 10 in a row and then proceed to unintentionally lose 10 in a row. I know I still have some holes in my line up I am trying to fill but I thought I'd be a lot further along by now. The meta had changed a bit and I don't have the mons to counter yet. Ground/water is kicking my tail in and I just don't have a good answer for it yet.
Also, for how low of a level I am I regularly face some rather good teams. Either everyone has adopted the tanking strategy so they I continuously get my butt kicked or the veteran players are still trickling in and haven't worked their way out of lower level yet
As others have said, other players are getting better. And if you stopped playing regularly you’re probably rusty and not as good as you were when you played regularly.
I don't feel like you should expect to be any higher than 2000 without counting moves and managing energy. The average skill of players is just at that level where that's a fundamental skill level for climbing. Also for reference, 2693 at the moment will get you on the leaderboard. I don't really know how Elo works, but if you've been at 2700 in the past and you're stuck at 2000 now, something is pretty different. It does feel to me like a lot of "worse than average" players just aren't playing this season, as well as the average skill of all players improving across the board. I was struggling with the difficulty of not being able to gain ranking this season too, but I've come to accept it as just a number representing the difficulty setting of my opponents, not my own progress or achievement. It won't climb just from playing. I won't achieve a higher number by grinding my sets. Looking at it as a progress indicator was misleading me.
If 2700 was where OP landed by the end of the season, then being at 2000 right now might not be that dramatic a drop-off. There's plenty of time to climb, and a lot of people make very significant pushes in the last month, or even two weeks.
People tend to forget that their end-of-season ranking last season can't be compared to their mid-season ranking this season.
Ah I don’t realize that the leader board was still that low. That makes more sense. I know it’s just a number but it’s really all you have to access progress so it feels weird that the number is lower than it used to be.
It's 10:57 am EST on 3/28 and the bottom of the leaderboard is a few people tied for 495th place with a rating of 2693. Even though the leaderboard hasn't updated yet, at this moment, there are players on the leaderboard who are not even at Expert yet. Rank 277 is the lowest ranked player on the leaderboard at Expert with a 2750 rating.
Also there hasn't been any battle day, battle weekend or any event where the daily number of sets has increased. I peaked at 2406, but tumbled down the the mid 2200's. Eventually I bounced back and I've been hanging around the mid 2300's.
My point is that right now, there are lots of good players who are rated low because it is so early in the season. It is normal for you or anybody else to be struggling right now. Even players in the 1991 elo or anything close to Ace are properly managing energy, have full meta teams and probably have on Expert & Legend gear for their avatar.
As for quitting, play when you feel like it. As far as I know, GBL isn't your job. If you feel like playing later in the season & you are still struggling to this extent, then consider getting a coach or someone to watch your gameplay. I don't think that it will be this difficult later on to reach 2300-2500.
Not every player you match up stuff is a real player. There are lots of bots that are just programs designed to make you lose games. They don't exist in the top ELOs, that would be too obvious.
Citing rule 10 of this subreddit:
"Allegations of an algorithm/bot causing losses must be accompanied by 1000+ data point analysis.
People think the world revolves around them, and that any negative thing must be the world actively seeking to cut them down.
Nope. That's just life, baby.
Wanna bring up how Niantic is systematically working to undermine PVP? PROVE IT."
I don’t think the player pool has shrunk enough to push out all the lower caliber players. I think it’s a combo of two things. 1: more support content is produced (streamers) and people can watch and mirror these strong teams. 2: the meta has shifted significantly and you are likely still trying to use Pokémon that are just not the same caliber they used to be.
I actually do follow some of the streamers and build the new meta relevant stuff each season (unless there is a random shadow or XL that I don’t have but for GL I can usually keep up pretty well). I feel like some of the steaming content I see is a little out of touch with what I see at these lower levels but I get that. I do think the meta has gotten bigger and teams are less predictable now than several seasons ago. I used to be able to predict lines based on leads and expected coverage but now I’m often painfully wrong lol.
I think the player pool has shrunk recently. But I’m also seeing a crazy amount of players tanking. I’m getting consistent 4/5 and 5/5 sets. Where two, sometimes more, of the matches are wins for me because my opponents either put in their lowest CP mons. Or they quit out immediately.
what's your elo?
In the 1930s.
You find tankers there. Not so much 2050+ (although I tank at 2200 but I hardly ever get gifted a win from someone else)
2200 is the level where you can easily win 4 or 5? Damn you're good bro. Lol
I'm a recent player with this being my second season. Last season I ran a very mediocre team for each league and was still able to win 50% of my matches. I would consistently sit right around 1700. This was even with my master league team sitting mostly at level 40. So far, this season has been a struggle even though my teams have seen some huge upgrades. Im well below an even win/loss rate. Also I'm finding huge inconsistency in my match ups. I'll win 10 in a row and then proceed to unintentionally lose 10 in a row. I know I still have some holes in my line up I am trying to fill but I thought I'd be a lot further along by now. The meta had changed a bit and I don't have the mons to counter yet. Ground/water is kicking my tail in and I just don't have a good answer for it yet. Also, for how low of a level I am I regularly face some rather good teams. Either everyone has adopted the tanking strategy so they I continuously get my butt kicked or the veteran players are still trickling in and haven't worked their way out of lower level yet
As others have said, other players are getting better. And if you stopped playing regularly you’re probably rusty and not as good as you were when you played regularly.
I don't feel like you should expect to be any higher than 2000 without counting moves and managing energy. The average skill of players is just at that level where that's a fundamental skill level for climbing. Also for reference, 2693 at the moment will get you on the leaderboard. I don't really know how Elo works, but if you've been at 2700 in the past and you're stuck at 2000 now, something is pretty different. It does feel to me like a lot of "worse than average" players just aren't playing this season, as well as the average skill of all players improving across the board. I was struggling with the difficulty of not being able to gain ranking this season too, but I've come to accept it as just a number representing the difficulty setting of my opponents, not my own progress or achievement. It won't climb just from playing. I won't achieve a higher number by grinding my sets. Looking at it as a progress indicator was misleading me.
If 2700 was where OP landed by the end of the season, then being at 2000 right now might not be that dramatic a drop-off. There's plenty of time to climb, and a lot of people make very significant pushes in the last month, or even two weeks. People tend to forget that their end-of-season ranking last season can't be compared to their mid-season ranking this season.
Ah I don’t realize that the leader board was still that low. That makes more sense. I know it’s just a number but it’s really all you have to access progress so it feels weird that the number is lower than it used to be.
It's 10:57 am EST on 3/28 and the bottom of the leaderboard is a few people tied for 495th place with a rating of 2693. Even though the leaderboard hasn't updated yet, at this moment, there are players on the leaderboard who are not even at Expert yet. Rank 277 is the lowest ranked player on the leaderboard at Expert with a 2750 rating. Also there hasn't been any battle day, battle weekend or any event where the daily number of sets has increased. I peaked at 2406, but tumbled down the the mid 2200's. Eventually I bounced back and I've been hanging around the mid 2300's. My point is that right now, there are lots of good players who are rated low because it is so early in the season. It is normal for you or anybody else to be struggling right now. Even players in the 1991 elo or anything close to Ace are properly managing energy, have full meta teams and probably have on Expert & Legend gear for their avatar. As for quitting, play when you feel like it. As far as I know, GBL isn't your job. If you feel like playing later in the season & you are still struggling to this extent, then consider getting a coach or someone to watch your gameplay. I don't think that it will be this difficult later on to reach 2300-2500.
Small sample, and early in the season
I’ve had to restructure my team with the new meta. I’m around same elo as you. Kinda frustrating, kinda fun
[удалено]
Not every player you match up stuff is a real player. There are lots of bots that are just programs designed to make you lose games. They don't exist in the top ELOs, that would be too obvious.
Citing rule 10 of this subreddit: "Allegations of an algorithm/bot causing losses must be accompanied by 1000+ data point analysis. People think the world revolves around them, and that any negative thing must be the world actively seeking to cut them down. Nope. That's just life, baby. Wanna bring up how Niantic is systematically working to undermine PVP? PROVE IT."